It’s the great beverage battle: coffee versus tea. But before you brew your next cup, you might want to hear what new research says about the risks lurking in your daily drinks.
A shocking new study, led by the University of Galway and in collaboration with McMaster University, has revealed that your beloved coffee could be increasing your risk of stroke by a staggering 37%. And that’s not all – if you’re reaching for a fizzy drink to quench your thirst, you might be doubling your stroke risk.
But fear not, tea lovers, because this brew-tiful beverage might just be your secret to stroke prevention. The study found that sipping on three to four cups of black tea a day – that’s your classic English Breakfast or Earl Grey – could slash your stroke risk by a whopping 29%. Yes, you heard it right. Swap that cappuccino for a cuppa, and your heart may thank you.
Coffee Chaos
Before you panic over your morning flat white, let’s break it down. The study didn’t differentiate between your basic black coffee, a frothy latte, or your fancy frappuccinos; it’s all in the same pot. So, in reality, there are other things that could be affecting the results, such as sugar intake combined with caffeine. However, according to the results of the study, drink more than four cups a day, and you’re looking at a 37% higher chance of stroke. It’s significant.
The news isn’t great for fizzy drink fans, either. Guzzling just two sugary or artificially sweetened sodas a day can shoot your stroke risk up by 22%.
Tea-rific News for Tea-Lovers
But there’s a silver lining, and it comes in a teapot. Research shows that green and black teas could be the real heroes of your beverage routine. Green tea was linked with a 27% reduced chance of stroke, and for those partial to a good brew of black tea, the reduction was even better at an incredible 29%. The only catch? Skip the milk. It turns out that adding milk may block the health-boosting antioxidants in tea. So, if you want those benefits, it’s time to go au naturel.
A Guide to Fruit Juices in Spain
For those thinking that fruit juice is the healthier option, think again. The study warns that many of the so-called healthy juices are often packed with added sugars and preservatives, increasing the risk of stroke – especially in women. Shockingly, drinking two or more of these fruity imposters daily triples your stroke risk due to bleeding.
To make matters worse, many countries don’t regulate what can and can’t be sold as “juice”. So, supermarket buyers are often tricked by businesses into thinking that the product they are buying is “juice,” when, in fact, it is 10% juice with added water, sugars, and chemicals.
In Spain, what is sold as “juice” (“zumo”) contains 100% fruit but doesn’t have to contain the pulp. They do not contain added sugars or sweeteners. “Nectars” and “fruit drinks” (“bebida de fruta” or “refresco de fruta”) contain a variable percentage of fruit (never 100%), sugars and/or sweeteners, and may also contain other chemical additives.
The study’s lead researcher, Professor Andrew Smyth of the University of Galway, didn’t hold back. “We would encourage people to avoid or minimise their consumption of fizzy and fruit drinks and to consider switching to water instead,” he said. When it comes to making the healthiest choices, he stressed that freshly squeezed fruit juices with the pulp are fine – it’s the concentrated, sugar-packed ones that are the real culprits.
Water Wins the Day
So, what’s the safest drink on the menu? Plain old water. According to research, drinking more than seven glasses a day could cut your odds of a stroke caused by a clot. It seems the old advice to hydrate might be your best bet after all.
Doctor’s Orders
So, what’s the final verdict? For readers who are serious about cutting their stroke risk, it might be time to rethink that coffee habit and start making tea their drink of choice. But steer clear of those sugary, fizzy temptations – they’re more trouble than they’re worth.
The “Interstroke” study, involving almost 27,000 people across 27 countries, is one of the largest investigations into stroke risks ever conducted. And the results are nothing short of an eye-opener.
People with stroke who walk 30 minutes per day seem to have a lower risk of early death.
